


Persistence and Patience

by Kaleidoscope_Carousel



Category: Arrow - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 18:19:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1194885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaleidoscope_Carousel/pseuds/Kaleidoscope_Carousel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A snapshot of Sara's training, quite early on in her involvement with the League. Inspired by tumblr user tamxiety's wish for a sparring flashback scene on the show.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Persistence and Patience

**Author's Note:**

> None of the characters belong to me, all to DC comics and Arrow. I'm just borrowing them. Also, I haven't done any martial arts training in about three years so I hope that any actual practitioners can forgive the descriptions. Props to anyone who writes fight scenes! They're difficult. As always unbetaed, all mistakes are mine, comments welcome. Also also, I have this headcanon where Nyssa calls Sara "little bird" because she looked so tiny, delicate, and breakable, like a fledgling, when she found and rescued her; this is also partially why Sara chooses Canary as her new name, because of her family and because of Nyssa.

Thwack. “Again.” Thwack “Again.” Thwack. _“Again.”_

Panting, Sara pushed herself to her feet for what felt like the millionth time in the past half hour. Nyssa al-Ghul stood over her, stone-faced as ever, and barely even breathing hard in her black tank top and work-out pants. She watched passively as Sara readied herself once again in fighting stance. Suddenly Sara moved, back leg snapping out in a round house kick, which Nyssa easily ducked, sweeping her own leg in a circular motion and knocking Sara’s weight bearing leg out from under her. She tumbled to the mat, body thudding to the ground, and instantly Nyssa was on top of her, forearm pressed to her throat.

“You are telegraphing, little bird, I can see exactly what you are planning and when you will strike. Get up and try it again.” When Sara didn’t move quickly enough Nyssa grabbed the front of her white gi and hauled her to her feet. “Lying there for even an instant longer than you need to can get you killed. I am here to prevent that from happening. Now, attack me again.”

“With all due respect, I’m tired. I’m sick of being knocked over. Can I have a break, please?” Sara asked.

“You may rest when I say you may rest and not before. If you will not attack perhaps it is time to switch roles.” Almost before she was done speaking Nyssa’s arm whipped out in a knife hand aimed for Sara’s throat. She just managed to block that, when a side kick caught her in the ribs. She went down, but managed to roll out of the fall instead of landing splayed. She stood up only to have to block a barrage of punches aimed at her head. Pivoting she swept out of the way of Nyssa’s hands, grabbing a wrist as she went, trying to flip the other woman over her hip. Nyssa easily broke and reversed the hold and instead it was Sara sent to her knees with her arm twisted behind her back.

“Better, little bird, get a drink of water and then we resume training.” Sara padded over to the benches next to the training area. She picked up her water bottle and took a long swig from it, then wiped her face with her towel. She had no idea how Nyssa was barely even sweating in the heat of the gym. Surreptitiously she looked over to where the other woman was running through some stretches. Nyssa was beautiful, incredibly beautiful, Sara wouldn’t deny that. Hell, before the shipwreck she’d been a college girl and had definitely lived up to some of the stereotypes. Old Sara would never have admitted, though, that maybe she found that she liked kissing girls just as much as she liked kissing boys. There was even this one girl, in her Medieval Literature class that, well, it wasn’t worth dwelling on. Not since she got on that boat with Oliver.

“It is time, little bird, let us get back to your training.” Sighing, Sara put down her water bottle, and headed back towards the centre of the mat. Yes, Nyssa was beautiful, but almost in the same way a snake was beautiful. A jewel that could kill. And those amazingly black eyes, Sara could never read them, could never tell what the other woman was thinking. “Now, you need to learn not to let your opponent know your intentions. A small shift in weight, a slight glance, a twitch of the arm. These are all tells.” As she spoke, Nyssa circled Sara, adjusting her stance with a foot, moving her arm just a little bit higher. “You must do your best not to allow them, or to disguise them, use them as misdirections. Do you understand?” Sara nodded.

“Yes.” She said.

“Good. Now, attack me.” Sara took a deep breath, trying to focus her body to be still until the moment to strike. She punched, and her arm was smacked away by Nyssa.

“Again.” A kick. Blocked again. Frustrated, Sara lashed out with everything she had, but was still blocked or evaded at every turn, and then sent to the mat with a decisive throw by Nyssa. “Sara,” she said, and her voice was colder than normal, “do not get angry. I know you are tired, but emotion clouds your judgement. You must stay calm and focused. Tiredness, pain, anger, all are as dangerous to a fighter as an enemy’s blade. Do not let them lose your fight for you. Again.” Sara was more unnerved by the use of her name than anything. Nyssa had hardly ever called her by her proper name since she had rescued her from the island, only “little bird.” Sara had grown used to the nickname although she never asked why it was that Nyssa called her that.

Breathing deeply in, Sara focused on her body, deliberately calming her heart rate, and centering herself. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the slight movements of her legs and arms as she settled in to fighting stance. She readied herself for another roundhouse kick, when Nyssa’s words came back to her: “a small shift in weight. . . “ she could feel herself shifting her weight in preparation for the kick that would come from the right leg, the back leg. Realising this she instead opted for a left cross, which Nyssa barely managed to block. Pressing the advantage, Sara swept into a spinning back kick . . .and connected. Nyssa was knocked back a couple of steps. It wasn’t down on to the mat, but Sara had finally managed to land an attack. She stood shocked for a moment as Nyssa strode toward her, a smile firmly planted on her face. Sara had never seen the other woman betray emotion like this before. Nyssa stopped right in front of Sara, and cupped Sara’s face in her hands.

“Well done, little bird,” she whispered, pressing their foreheads together, “well done.” Still smiling, she lifted her head enough to place a small kiss on Sara’s forehead. Sara could feel her face flushing with heat at the feel of Nyssa’s lips against her skin. “I think that is enough hand to hand combat for now. I know you and the other initiates have weapons training this afternoon. Go, have a rest. I will see you later.” Nyssa spun on her heel and left without another word. Sara was left by herself in the gym, with the glow of pride in her chest, and the phantom sensation of Nyssa’s kiss still lingering against her skin.  



End file.
